High Hopes
by Alice Rider
Summary: A short drabble about Lance figuring out his sexuality and how Keith fits into the picture. Inspired by a small piece by @velocesmells on tumber.


Lance has been straight his whole life.

Or at least, he was really pretty sure that he was. He likes girls, sue him! They're pretty and soft and always smell so sweet and inviting. He's into the long hair and fluttering lashes that do funny things to his stomach. He likes the way that delicate fingers don't match up with the lanky length of his own. He really likes girls. Plain and simple.

(Now getting girls to like him back is a whole nother story.)

And it was never really that the thought of kissing a guy was exactly. . . repulsive. Just, why waste his time on sweaty, rough, "manly" men who couldn't hold a conversation worth a damn and had no other aspirations in life than to be the Biggest and Baddest in the room when he could be trying to woo someone so much more all around attractive.

So yeah, Lance likes to think he's pretty straight.

And it's not like anything magically changes when he meets Keith for the first time. In fact, the only thing Lance feels for the transfer student suddenly vying for Lance's place as future valedictorian is sheer annoyance. By the end of the first week, Lance makes sure that Keith knows they're rivals in this, even if his declaration of war is only met with an eye roll.

There's no flip of a switch the first time Pidge betrays him and invites Keith to study group before mid-terms. There is, however, a begrudging acceptance that maybe, just maybe, Keith isn't the total edge lord wannabe out to steal the limelight that Lance has made him out to be. Not that Lance takes this total stab in the back by his two best friends laying down. No sir. He whines and he fusses and he kicks the whole rival thing up another notch just because he can. Also because having a competitor for top spot really makes him focus, not that he'll ever admit it out loud.

Lance ignores the fact that Keith has carved out a niche in their little friend group without really trying the same way he ignores the fact that his stomach is starting to do that weird fluttering thing when the four of them are together. Vehemently and without remorse. Ok, yeah, Keith is not the absolute worst person to hang around. Ok, yeah, he's actually kinda funny with his weird sense of humor. Ok, yeah, he has these really nice almost-silver eyes that definitely don't invade Lance's daydreams. But Lance isn't gay. Nope. He still likes girls way more than Keith's stupid fluffy mullet and half cocked smirk. So he does what any rational, sane, straight guy would do. He flirts with every girl he sees, even the ones that totally don't fit his type. Every single one shoots him down, and Keith usually doesn't speak to him for a few hours after each failed attempt, but hey, at least Lance can pretend it's the girls giving him the warm fuzzies.

Lance isn't really sure when he dropped the whole "rivals" shtick. It was probably after Lance beat Keith's calculus final score by a single point (finally! Finally Lance can hold his head high and say he's better than this total emo edge lord at something!) but definitely before the coffee run when Keith remembered Lance's favorite without even asking. And it's not like Lance is in love with him. Because he's not. He still likes girls. But this weird friendship thing he has going on with Keith isn't the worst thing to have ever happened to him. And honestly, he kinda likes it? He doesn't mind anymore when Keith tags along on friends-exclusive adventures. Hell, he doesn't even care when Keith is the only one that shows up to study sessions on Thursday nights. But, it's normal to be friends with other guys, right? There doesn't have to be anything romantic involved. There doesn't have to be any deeper meaning to the nearly nauseating twist in his gut whenever Keith's arm accidentally brushes up against his. He doesn't have to look any deeper because. . . because, well, this whatever they have going on is nice. Really nice. Lance isn't sure he's willing to ruin it.

When Keith comes out of the closet to the three of them, Lance does not spend the whole night after reevaluating every life decision he's ever made. Nope. Didn't happen. He doesn't even remember.

Falling happens so suddenly, Lance doesn't even have time to catch his breath. He doesn't remember why he and Keith ended up in the park by themselves, or even how he ended up ass first in a puddle (he does remember. He was trying to show off and do a back flip. It didn't end well.), but he does know that this is the first time he's ever heard Keith laugh, really laugh, and Lance is caught with his guard down, left staring unabashed with a creeping flush staining his cheeks bright red.

Holy shit, he might be gay for Keith.

(Well, bi, at the very least.)


End file.
